Squash Chief Urges Government to Rethink Sports Fund Policy

Chalitrat Chantrubeksasa, president of the Thailand Squash Association, has publicly voiced concerns on behalf of the national sports associations regarding budget allocation from the National Sports Development Fund. Speaking in representation of the sports associations, he disclosed that budgets owed to them from 2022 and 2023 remain unpaid because the Thailand Sports Authority and the fund diverted those amounts to other initiatives, including the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, resulting in losses to the associations. For 2027, the fund plans to allocate only 1.3 billion baht to excellence-level sports activities with no further increases, whereas excellence-level sports programs typically require approximately 2 billion baht collectively from all sports associations. This consolidated budget covers athlete development, coaching staff salaries, national and international competition hosting, sending athletes abroad for skill development, and accumulating world ranking points for participation in major regional and global competitions.

Chantrubeksasa stated that he has previously objected to what he views as insufficient funding, and noted a concerning new distribution method based on each association's capacity, divided into four tiers with the highest receiving no more than 35 million baht, followed by 14 million, 8 million, and 2 million baht, with developing associations receiving only 2 million baht in 2027. He believes major sports associations will find this allocation inadequate for developing elite athletes, particularly in sports requiring world ranking points for qualification to the Asian Games, Olympic Games, and other international competitions. Chantrubeksasa reported that during a fund screening committee meeting, fund manager Tanukhiat Chanchu indicated this policy came from the office of Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, the government's sports overseer, and that Thailand Sports Authority Governor Kong Sak Yodmani agreed to discuss the matter further with the fund. "I regard this as government policy," Chantrubeksasa said, "and I believe it will inevitably cause Thailand's sports to decline. I respectfully urge the Deputy Prime Minister to reconsider and revise this policy. If the government proceeds with it, you will bear responsibility for the consequences that follow."